Your views could shape Notts fire service

Your views are needed to help shape the future of the fire service as it scrambles for ways to save millions of pounds over the next three years.

Nottinghamshire and City of Nottingham Fire and Rescue Authority has launched a consultation asking the public what they think would be the best way to save £3.4million between now and 2020.

The fire authority is proposing one of two new crewing systems be utilised - mixed and alternative crewing.

Chief Fire Officer John Buckley: “Mixed crewing could potentially be introduced at two out of three different fire stations – Ashfield, Retford or Worksop – offering us a saving of £500,000 per year, per station.

“This would see the chosen stations being crewed by retained staff only at night, as opposed to both wholetime and retained as they are currently. This option wouldn’t involve any redundancies and would still see the respective stations continue to have two fire engines that are crewed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“Alternative crewing, on the other hand, could be introduced at on-call stations all across Nottinghamshire. It would involve retained appliances, that are currently only mobilised when four firefighters are available, being sent out with a crew of three to a small number of minor incident types.

“This option wouldn’t save money, but would increase our appliance availability and increase the retention of our on-call staff, who are a massively important part of the service.”

The consultation runs until December 17 and residents can have their say by visiting www.notts-fire.gov.uk